> .....All I am saying is, why would anyone
> have a *need* -- as opposed to a *desire* -- to play the harp on one
> shoulder instead of the other (and modern convention *usually* dictates
> that for harps that would mean the left shoulder instead of the right),
> discounting physical discomfort, etc. Maybe it's because I have 20 years
> of woodwind experience -- back to that non-directional thing -- but it
> seems to me you just pick up the instrument whichever way the thing is put
> together and go. Once you learn one way or the other, certainly it's
> difficult to "flip-flop." But just starting out, I think anyone could
> learn one way or the other with equal ease.
i guess all i am saying is that with less of a "right shoulder" bias,
just
"starting out" might be different... new harpists could choose which
shoulder
to play from!! i know teachers are expected to give the student a basic
playing position -- however, WHAT IF, the first few weeks were simply
used
to determine which shoulder position? would the results support the
notion
that former pianists would go "right" while former flutists would go
"left"?
and where would those "first time" musicians go??? this is probably a
question for our teachers!!!
p.s. IMHO...never "discount the physical discomfort"!!!!
-- Wanda Taylor, Ringmiz of Harp*ring http://www.maxinet.com/towanda email: towanda@iname.com